Thoughts from Sydney Uni

Posted on by markdramaaustralia

We asked some of the acting team from Sydney Uni to share their experiences with The Mark Drama:

Declan
Declan joined his non Christian friends for pool one Thursday night and casually told to them that he was in a play called the Mark Drama. They were interested and were very keen to watch him perform. So they came to watch… and were deeply moved by the crucifixion scene. Sitting near the back, they did not know what was the sound of the banging as Jesus was laid down on the ground. When they saw Jesus being raised up on the cross – they understood what the banging was – the nails being driven into the hands of an innocent man. It was scene that made them feel sick. They asked their mutual friend Caroline – “How could a good man be crucified?”. When Caroline offered a copy of the gospel of Luke – they were glad to accept it.

Alex
For me, acting in the Mark Drama was one of most the meaningful and worthwhile things I’ve done in a very long time. I was so amazed to see the reaction of the audience during the crucifixion scene. Even friends who don’t follow Jesus came to watch the show were moved by the whole experience. One wanted to read the Bible with me afterwards.
Adam
While initially skeptical (and regretting the busyness it added to his busy life), by the end all Adam could say was “just incredible”. Seeing what a powerful medium drama is to tell the gospel, he knew that he had to get his younger brother to come watch it. After much prayer, God answered. On the second night his brother and whole family came to watch. He could see that his brother was deeply moved seeing Jesus on the cross. “What did Jesus’s death mean for you?” asked Adam. His brother said he didn’t know. Adam continues to be prayerful for future opportunities to explain the gospel to his brother.
Toby
I found it very helpful to invite my Japanese FOCUS friends to come watch the Mark Drama. Cross cultural ministry is never easy because of language barriers, but I love sharing God’s Word with internationals. After the Mark Drama, I met my Japanese friends to study the account of Jesus healing a paralytic man in the Bible. It was so helpful that they’d seen this scene the night before in the Mark Drama!
Jack
Playing Jesus is not easy. So Jack was very apprehensive when he signed up for the role. ‘How can you learn all these lines in such a short amount of time? How can three rehearsals be enough for a 90 minute performance?’ But God works through weak people. Jack was personally edified by playing Jesus. Watching the story from where he stood gave him new insights into Jesus’ life and death. ‘Jesus’s words are always on my mind now. It’s so much easier to recall them when fighting against temptation and sin!’ In all his experience as an actor, he has never been so emotionally affected by any other role. From the shouts of “Hosanna!” to the cries of “Crucify him!”, holding back tears was a difficult task.